Old Town Report (6/2/16 Issue)

Old Town Monrovia. – Courtesy photo

By Pam Fitzpatrick

I have to start off bragging a bit in order to explain where this column is headed, so apologies upfront. The day before this paper publishes, The Dollmakers’ Kattywompus will begin celebrating its 25th Birthday Celebration (all month!).

It would be polite to say that our opening “seems like yesterday,” but it does not – not at all. It seems like another century.

In 1991 we started off on a side street (109 E. Lemon, one-half of the current site of The Diplomat) with no real business plan, other than (at least on my part) to keep my family busy and let me go on with my freelance design work.

Fortunately, we were fast-learners, because that is not the way to start a small business. But looking back, it is interesting to see not only our own evolution, but the evolution of Old Town.

We like to refer to our Historic Town Center as the “community gathering place,” which well it was in the beginning and for years to follow. But in 1991, you literally could have shot a cannon up Myrtle Avenue and not hit anything. Rent was cheap – really cheap, and the low rent, and the ambience (even with the many vacancies) was inviting. Through the years, businesses have come and gone. Old Town had long ago lost its larger retailers like Woolworth’s and JC Penney’s, but the buildings remained and during the transition it was difficult to fill the empty void.

Now, 25 years later, Old Town has almost no retail vacancies. I say “almost,” because at the moment we have to assume that 316 S. Myrtle (the vacant shell across from Library Park), is presently unusable as is. By the way, I spoke to our planning department and there is still an electrical issue at that location due to an inconveniently placed transformer. Also currently vacant is the old 4th Dimension site, just south of 316, but there is good news there: that site is on the agenda for the Historic Preservation Commission to review for some type of proposed façade improvements. I still do not have any information I can print on the possible end use of the building, but looks like something is moving forward. Most of you know that site was the home of JC Penney’s back in the day.

Herb’s Deli, later location of Sam’s Mediterranean Kabob Room, was one of the few businesses I remember being open way back in 1991. I remember going to my first Old Town Merchant meetings there, when the Merchant Association was independent and not technically part of the city (though it was funded through BID assessments, same as today). As I have reported in the past, a restaurant called “The Copper Still Grill” has been intending to open on that site for years, but from what I hear, that lease term may be coming to a time of decision. The 600 block is a good block and that forever-in-progress emptiness does not do Old Town any good at all.

Looking back, I seem to remember two fabric stores in town, and also we had a Craft Loft above Valley Hardware in the 600 block. Now, 25 years later, we once again have a fabric/notions store on the horizon! And, crazy though it may seem, the new owner, Cathy Knudtson and her mom live in Sherman Oaks! When I asked them, “why Monrovia?” they just said “we love it here.”

Of course – where else would an ex-race car driver from Sherman Oaks who only took up sewing a few years ago want to open a fabric store? Cathy, you will fit in just fine with the rest of us crazy small business owners in beautiful Old Town Monrovia! Welcome home!

More from Monrovia Weekly